Asian markets again ended mixed, on Friday. Japan's Nikkei 225 index fell 0.2%; and South Korea's Kospi lost 1.3%; But Hong Kong's Hang Seng index rose 0.1%; China's Shanghai Composite index added 0.5%; and Singapore's Straits Times index gained 1.9%. But the European markets surged, on Friday, with key benchmark indices in the UK, France and Germany up by between 1.7% and 2.9% in intra-day trade, on Friday. Meanwhile, economic data from France showed that the country's GDP came in flat during the second quarter, missing expectations for a 0.3% rise. And European regulators will ban short-selling in four countries' financial stocks from Friday, in a coordinated attempt to restore confidence in a panicky market hit by rumors and higher borrowing costs. In a statement, on Thursday, the European Securities and Markets Authority said Belgium, France, Italy and Spain were set to bring in the ban, which will vary in detail depending on the country.